Car problems come when the man is gone

It was not my favorite conclusion to a picnic lunch. I slid into my car, shoved the key in place, twisted it to start, but nothing happened.

This kind of thing only happens when my husband is out-of-pocket. It has nothing to do with it being a 12-13 year-old car. It just is this year’s bad ‘kar’-ma.
The first time came when he went off to work with Habitat for Humanity in North Dakota so he could check off his 50th state. Just before he left, the engine registered warm, warmer and HOT. A minor repair and it worked just fine until a day or two before he returned when again it did the warm, warmer and HOT routine. The radiator repair man said, “Do not drive it. You will crack the head.”

I walked a couple blocks to work that Friday and hitched a ride home. When hubby came home, I used his car to get to work. That repair reached deep into my pocketbook, but nowhere near as far as it would have if I had driven a few more miles.
A month later my sister came. We jaunted around town, stopping here and there for this and that until the car stalled. Pumping the pedal to get it to turn over did not work – not even when a gentleman came over and tried a couple tricks before giving it a gloomy prediction. We called for help and sat quietly talking. Then just for some reason I turned the key and it started up fine.
I had no more problems until my husband went to Indiana for family business. Of course, after a couple days, feeling safe without the man of the house around, the only car in the garage saw me dressed for work, groaned, yawned and told me “10 more minutes. Just 10 more minutes.”
I went back into the house, loaded some laundry, washed off a counter and tried again. The car started just fine.

I mentioned it to a car fixing friend. He assured me that he could not fix it until he saw the glitch happen. “And it might not do it while I have it. The next time it happens, check and see if the security light comes on,” he said.
So I forgot about the problem … until last week, when again already with the husband not being available and again already with the car not starting. I did remember to check to see if the the security light was flashing.
It was.

My lunch time friend dropped me off at the office. I called the car repair friend and told him about the blinking security light. He said the car thinks it is being stolen. Give it 10-15 minutes of time to drop its guard and it will start.
I did. A co-worker took me back to my car, I slid into the seat, pushed the key into the ignition and it started up with a contented purr from its afternoon nap.
I’m taking it home now and swapping cars with my husband. I’m sure that will straighten out my recalcitrant vehicle.

(Joan Hershberger is a reporter at the News-Times. E-mail her at jhershberger@eldoradonews.com.)


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